For the first time in his career, LeBron James has opted into the final year of his contract. Next season, the Los Angeles Lakers will owe him $52.6 million, although as they pivot to the Luka Doncic era, there is reason to believe that the Lakers will entertain trading James.
LeBron and Bradley Beal are the only two players in the league with no-trade clauses, and it's hard to imagine James agreeing to play elsewhere, with the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers being the only agreed-upon exceptions.
However, the San Antonio Spurs are one of only a handful of teams that can add James without slashing their depth, as outlined in a recent mock trade by ClutchPoints' Bailey Bassett.
Full Mock Trade Details
Lakers receive: Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Malaki Branham, Julian Champagnie, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick (top-20 protected)
The Spurs have the draft capital to spare and manage to keep Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan to pair with Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox long-term.
A lineup of Fox, Castle, Vassell, James, and Wembanyama with Harper, Sochan, Carter Bryant, and a yet-to-be-signed free agent center would be very, very hard to beat.
According to CBS Sports, the Spurs are the seventh-most likely team to pull off a trade for James.
"James could compete for a championship right now with De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama," pointed out Sam Quinn. "The question here is whether or not the Spurs would go hard for him. They didn't make a major offer for Kevin Durant, who is younger and has Texas ties."
While adding James would be a clear win-now move with only a season of viability, the depth lost in the trade is not insurmountable, and if James were to agree to a deal, the Spurs would bounce back quickly after he retires.
The biggest concern with James coming to town would be the inevitable circus he brings with him. After 22 seasons, he commands a certain respect, and if he decides that he wants to play a 24th season after this year, would the Spurs break the bank for him? Would they have patience as he contemplates retirement, knowing full well that the Spurs are Wemby's team, not his own?
That remains to be seen. For the Spurs, this trade seems like a pipe dream. If James wants to compete as the mentor to a young superstar, staying in Hollywood and doing that with Luka Doncic makes sense.
If he wants a storybook ending, heading back to the Cavs or ending his career in Dallas next to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, two of his more notable teammates, makes more sense than a farewell tour with Gregg Popovich, who won't even be on the sidelines.
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